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Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement with the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control to provide dog license canvassing to the City of Long Beach for one year, with the option of renewing, as needed, for two additional one-year periods, in an amount not to exceed $40,000 per year. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is responsible for ensuring that all dogs over the age of four months are licensed with the Animal Care Services Bureau. Consistent with State law, licensing ensures current rabies vaccination and promotes public health and safety. Locally, licensing fees support General Fund public safety and enforcement activities. While the Bureau's efforts to educate the public on the dog licensing requirement has met with some success, only 29,200 of 44,300 dogs (65 percent) registered with the City of Long Beach are current on payment and rabies certificates. Overall, there are an estimated 103,000 dogs in the City of Long Beach alone, according to projections by the American Veterinary Medical Association, or approximately 73,800 without a current license.
To improve enforcement, Animal Care Services currently budgets four part-time Animal License Inspector Non-Career (NC) positions. These canvassers are responsible for license inspections of a five-city area covering more than 597,000 residents. In addition to Long Beach, the canvassers dedicate time and energy to the cities of Cerritos, Signal Hill, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos to fulfill contractual obligations. Contract canvassers will supplement existing staff to improve enforcement and generate additional revenue.
For many years, the County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control (County) has provided seasonal dog license canvassing for the City of Long Beach on a contract basis. The Health Department seeks to enter into a one-year agreement with the County for dog license canvassing, with the option of renewing, as needed by mutual agreement, for two additional one-year periods.
Under the proposed agreement, the City of Long Beach will pay Los Angeles County up to $40,000 per year for over 700 hours of seasonal contract work. As in past years, the County is expected to generate significant current year revenue to more than cover the cost of the contract, and significant ongoing revenue for future license renewals.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Trang on March 30, 2010 and Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on April 20, 2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested at the May 4, 2010 Council meeting in order to begin canvassing in June 2010 and generate significant revenue for the current fiscal year.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Long Beach agrees to pay up to $40,000 per year to the County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control for dog license canvassing services. Costs for this program will be covered by revenue generated by canvassing activities. In the current fiscal year, the City's General Fund is expected to recoup an estimated $66,500 in revenue for licenses and penalties collected through canvassing activities (based on an estimated 1,050 licenses and 700 associated penalties). This estimate is based on the actual performance by the County in 2009, which generated approximately $156,856 in new revenue through 2,955 new and renewed delinquent licenses, and 2,216 associated penalties. New licenses created through canvassing efforts generate significant ongoing General Fund revenue through future year renewals. Existing appropriations will cover the related contract expenditures. There is no local job impact associated with the requested contract.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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APPROVED: |
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |